Food products such as sauces, dressings, processed foods and the like have been known to include microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or powdered cellulose as an adjunct. One of the chief drawbacks associated with including such celluloses in foods has been the fact that its bright white appearance is often difficult to mask. Thus, consumer acceptance of such food products has been rather low since the products have a specked or mottled appearance. Furthermore, MCC-containing foods often require additional amounts of food colorings to mask the presence of the cellulose. For example, although grated and shredded cheese products are enhanced by the addition of MCC due to its anti-caking properties, such products have not met with commercial success because of the contrast in color between the cheese and MCC.
Grated and shredded cheeses and cheese products have become widely accepted and used by consumers. Typically, grated cheeses are sold in containers which allow them to flow readily and maintain their moisture content and flavor.
One of the chief problems associated with grated cheeses is that the cheese particles are prone to clumping together, causing caking or agglomerating, particularly after refrigeration. Dispensing of the grated cheese from sieve-top containers, therefore, becomes difficult and a source of consumer frustration. For example, in the case of fully cured, grated Parmesan cheese which has a relatively low moisture content (e.g., 12-18%), there is little problem of clumping or agglomeration of the grated cheese product. However, in cases where the grated cheese contains higher levels of moisture and/or oils, agglomeration becomes more of a concern.
Substantial effort has been undertaken over the years to address this problem. For example, one proposed solution is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,605, wherein Parmesan cheese having a moisture level of 30-32% and a fat level of 28-32% is grated and dried to a moisture content of 19-24% by weight and disodium phosphate is blended with the grated cheese either before or after the drying step.
The United States Food and Drag Administration (FDA) has provided guidelines concerning what ingredients can be included with grated cheeses.
In the field of anti-caking agents, the FDA allows manufacturers and distributors to include silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, sodium silico aluminate, microcrystalline cellulose, or any combination of two or more of these anti-caking agents, among others.
An anti-caking agent is often included with shredded cheeses as well in order to prevent agglomeration of the shredded cheese. Shredded cheeses and cheese products are commercially available in the U.S., typically in resealable clear plastic containers. Such shredded cheeses are typically used as toppings for, e.g., homemade Italian and Mexican dishes, such as pizzas, nachos, etc. Examples of commercially available shredded cheeses include be, e.g., mozzarella, Parmesan, romano, cheddar, Monterey Jack, etc. The color of these shredded cheeses differs depending on the particular cheese flavor. Typically, shredded cheeses have a yellow or orange-yellowish color. Microcrystalline cellulose and/or powdered cellulose are often used in these products as an anti-caking agent. Unfortunately, the available forms of such anti-caking agents appear as a white particulate and thus appear as white flecks dispersed in off-white or yellowish shredded cheeses. The anti-caking agent is misidentified as mold by the consuming public and, therefore, the cheese product is not purchased because it is thought to be "spoiled".
Although the above-mentioned agents are known and have been used in a variety of cheese products available to U.S. consumers, the industry still recognizes a need for improved anti-caking agents, both with respect to anti-caking properties and aesthetic properties of the same.
Often, the anti-caking agent is visible in the cheese product to the naked eye. In the case of a cheese which naturally has a yellow or orange-yellowish color, the presence of anti-caking agents which have a different color provide the cheese product with an untoward appearance.
Microcrystalline cellulose has also been proposed as a fat mimetic. For example, PCT publication WO90/14017 discloses a low calorie fat-like aggregate material prepared by spray-drying an aqueous medium containing a mixture of microcrystalline cellulose and a galactomannam gum such as guar gum and optionally, additional materials such as lipophilic or hydrophilic ingredients. The composition is added as a colloid or as an aqueous dispersion to various foods such as salad dressings, frozen food products or dairy products as a fat substitute having a fat-like mouthfeel.
As mentioned above, the color of the microcrystalline cellulose available to food processors is typically a bright white. Thus, even liquid, semi-solid or frozen food products containing MCC can have less than desirable appearance qualities. It would be highly desirable to provide a low cost cellulose-based additive which achieves the same fat mimetic effects.
Because celluloses are useful food adjuncts which have been accepted for use by the FDA, there is a need to address the shortcomings associated with the physical appearance of celluloses when used with food products. The present invention addresses this need.